Namibia gains independence after UN peacekeepers monitor South Africa's withdrawal. Elections follow the troop pull-out and the southwestern African country is hailed as the UN's first smooth success for the 1990s.

Persian Gulf War begins with U.S. bombing of Baghdad with UN authorization. Saddam invades Kuwait in August 1990 and the Security Council immediately and unanimously condemns the aggression in an emergency meeting. Eleven resolutions follow, making the end of Iraqi aggression an international effort. When sanctions and diplomacy fail to make progress, the US uses force with UN authorization. Saddam's forces are quickly driven back, but he is left in power.

A peace accord is signed in Angola between the government and UNITA rebels, but hostilities continue. UNITA disputes the election results the UN has declared "free and fair" and resumes fighting. The UN stays on until 1999, when after the downing of several UN planes over UNITA territory and the total collapse of the peace process, the peacekeeping mission in Angola is terminated.

President George Bush persuades the General Assembly to repeal resolution equating Zionism with racism. The 1975 resolution had helped turn American public opinion against the UN. The decision was repealed by a vote of 111 to 25, with 13 abstentions.

1991

El Salvador cease-fire negotiated. After meeting for almost two years with UN mediation, the Government of El Salvador and the rebel group, FMLN, sign a peace agreement at UN Headquarters at midnight, New Year's Eve 1991, ending the civil war that ravaged the country through the 1980s. The UN continues to provide humanitarian assistance for the natural disasters that wrack the country from 1998 to 2001.

Enemies of War
Find out about the UN's role in ending El Salvador's civil war.

1992

Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt is appointed Secretary-General. After six months on the job, he issues "An Agenda for Peace," proposals to improve the UN's approach to preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, and peacekeeping.